We did it. We survived it! Four states, many cities, five days. (Spring, TX; Grand Canyon, AZ; Las Vegas, NV; Death Valley, Yosemite, and San Fran, CA.) Originally scheduled for 1140 miles, the snow at Yosemite found us driving about 150 miles farther north than anticipated, then taking the only open pass west only to head back south to get into Yosemite's wondrous park. Total miles traveled: closer to 1400. Views? Priceless. Still engaged? You betcha. Take a look at the photos, and keep an eye on this site--I will tell you more about each city as time allows! We did fly from Houston to Phoenix, by the way, and started our journey from Sky Harbor International Airport in a Kia Optima after a bit of indecision on my part about whether a "full-sized" vehicle was really worth it (and in the end we decided no, and traded down).
I will start by telling you how wonderful, how truly (oh, my) special/magnificent/fabulous/awesome/etc it was to go to Spring, Texas, to begin the journey by seeing my brother David's family--my funny, sweet, handsome brother David (OK, "Dave"), his lovely, warm wife Elena, their handsome boys Andrew (9) and Chris (13?!), and their extended family--the petite, sweet grandmother of the boys whom we all call "Abuelita"; Elena's gregarious, welcoming brothers Miguel and Louis, and communing with my BFF and sister Robyn and her most wonderful partner Jimmy and my most special cousin, friend, heart of my heart, my dear Judy and her wonderful husband Carroll. There aren't enough superlatives; this was THE event of the season and I was thrilled to make the trip. I've been to Spring before, but not in a few years, and this was Tim's opportunity to meet some of my family without use of a webcam between countries; he was ready for the "full-on" gathering, agreeing to stay at David and Elena's beautiful home and being surrounded by/subjected to a foreign onslaught! And how did he do? Well, naturally I'm a bit prejudiced, but the early returns have Tim being fully accepted into the fold . . . I think it was his charm, dry wit, and intelligence.
We were there for Andrew's First Holy Communion, an event celebrated with gusto at Chez Kusman. The church service was lovely; the children embodied the solemnity of the occasion as they looked a bit pensive and certainly devoted to the day. The church, high-ceilinged, modern, lovely, was standing room only. Parishoners around us sang with enthusiasm, participating with every prayer, every phrase of song. Afterwards, photos of course, and then a crowd awaiting us back at D&E's home. There, short, meaningful speeches about the gathering of friends, family, and the meaning of the day. And then, my, the food! Elena's brother Louis is a fabulous cook, and plates were piled high with traditional Peruvian fare prepared by him and a few others. I recall delicious tamales, Peruvian chicken we saw Elena and her mother, the lovely Abuelita, carefully shred in the morning, rice, salad, and wine. Lots of wine. Fabulous. The kids, mostly boys, splashed in the pool around us, trying to entertain (they all knew Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, but not much else). And as the night wound down, hugs, quieter conversation. Intimacy.
Here's a link to the photos--you can view as a guest .Please do look at the captions, as they provide a bit of interesting/useful commentary.
Come back again; I promise to tell you--hopefully, perhaps, enthrall you--with stories of Tim's and my journey to the snow and beauty of the Grand Canyon, the over-the-top splendour of Vegas, the long, sparse, quiet drive through Death Valley, some of it along the fabled Route 66, and on to the serenity and beauty of the falls, mountains and tall trees of Yosemite before finding our way into San Francisco and Sausalito for a wedding of my dear friends Jess and Mark.
The pictures do tell some of the story--enjoy!
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